The developer behind a major Tavistock housing scheme has defended its bid to scale back commitments to contribute to town facilities as building continues on the estate.

The developer of The Tors at Callington Road has applied to planning authority West Devon Borough Council (WDBC) for a ‘deed of variation’ to change planning obligations associated with the wider development.

Vistry Homes, the parent company of Bovis Homes, is asking for changes to the Section 106 agreement, the legally binding agreement setting out what a developer must contribute to the community to offset the impact of the development.

Potentially one of the most significant changes concerns education.

The draft new legal agreement would delete a substantial section of the existing agreement to provide a school site within the development.

Other proposed changes include removing the previously agreed requirement for bus shelters, although bus stops would remain, however the developer has allayed fears raised by councillors that a footpath to Monksmead will not be provided, saying it still must provide one.

The deed sets out that land associated with the planned railway station parking, convenience store and community facilities will be transferred to Devon County Council. Town councillor Cllr Steve Hipsey said transferring land into public ownership for possible future use would not in itself guarantee that the facilities originally envisaged would actually be delivered, though.

Cllr Hipsey said: “Tavistock residents are entitled to ask why obligations secured at the planning stage may now be watered down. For a development of this scale, the key question is not simply how many homes are built, but whether the infrastructure identified alongside them is actually delivered.”

A Vistry spokesman said: “The omission of the bus shelters is at the request of Devon County Council (DCC) highways and does not form part of the current Section 106 deed of variation proposals. This follows discussions with the Section 106 officer, who advised that guidance is being sought from the council's legal team regarding issues identified with the existing bus shelter obligations.

“The transfer of the community land, store and railway land to DCC remains and aligns with the existing Section 106 obligations. A side agreement was also entered into to facilitate this as part of the additional funding arrangements. The proposed footpath remains a Section 106 requirement and has not been agreed for removal. As the route crosses land owned by Crowndale Estates, they will need to be a party to the deed of variation.

“The council has advised there is no requirement for the land for a school. So, we are entitled to review alternative options for its future use.”

The application can be viewed on the West Devon Borough Council planning portal ref: 2605/25/VPO.